Discovery
by rlturner79
Summary: Post ep for The Bogie Man 3x20 Martin just broke up with Sam & is going to his cousin's wedding alone... DannyMartin slash


He couldn't believe he was here alone. Alone again. Really though, if he was being honest it wasn't that surprising. After all, when was the last time that he'd taken a date to any sort of Fitzgerald family function? Sighing, he rolled his eyes and sat back in his uncomfortable airport chair. The people around him were talking, grumbling, all impatient over the delayed flight. Truthfully, he was starting to wish that his flight got cancelled so then he'd have an excuse for not going. But he _did_ want to see his cousin get married. He hadn't seen any of his family for quite some time, and while in some cases that was the way he preferred it, Maggie had always been one of his favorite cousins. But he'd told them about Sam. Well not specifically, but he'd responded to the RSVP for himself and a guest. And now it was over. He and Sam were over and he was going alone.

Despite the knowledge that his and Sam's relationship had been over for a while, it still hurt. He had known - weeks ago - that they weren't going to last. He saw it every time she looked too long at Jack, heard it in every frustrated excuse she came up with for them to stay a secret. But he'd held on, wanting for the relationship to work out; and because he was so tired of being alone. And he knew it was wrong...wanting them to stay together just so he could say he'd made it work, and so that he wasn't quite so lonely. It was wrong and pathetic and when he thought about it now he could clearly see that they should've ended things a long time ago. Were he completely honest he could say that they probably never should've even started anything. Nothing more than a one-night-stand anyway. But it was too late to go back and hindsight was always twenty-twenty.

Now, he was alone again...and successfully able to add yet another failed relationship to his already short list of relationships.

Still, he couldn't honestly say he wanted to try again. She had offered - at the last minute - to come to the wedding with him. It was her way of compromising, he knew. She'd meet his family, be introduced as his girlfriend even, but in return they'd go on keeping their relationship a secret at work. Keeping it from the people that Martin often considered more of a family than his actual relatives. She hadn't said that in so many words, but he expected it. It had been in his mind for a few days by then to break up with her. He'd wanted to end it because it was going nowhere, because it wasn't fair and it hurt more than it made him happy. Her agreeing to the wedding invitation was what set him off though. Telling her he couldn't do it anymore...couldn't hide and sneak around and lie. It was more effort than it should be. Relationships were hard work, yes, but it shouldn't have been hard in the way she made it.

He'd seen the hurt in her eyes, the sorrow...and when he looked hard enough, the relief. At least this way she could say that _he_ had broken up with _her_. So on the surface she could say that he'd been the one to end it and that was why they hadn't worked out. Because Martin knew that Sam had her own list of broken and failed relationships, and she probably didn't want to add another one to it anymore than he did.

Worst was that he _did_ love her. Loved her but knew - almost from the beginning - that things wouldn't work between them. Too many problems to overcome...some of which neither of them wanted to do. Had they met at a different time or under different circumstances things might have worked out, but that was only wishful thinking. He was her second choice, someone she wanted _to try to want_ to be with. And Martin...well Martin knew that there were things he could be blamed for as well. It wasn't entirely her fault that things had ended. True, he'd been the one to put a stop to it all. He'd been the one wanting more, wanting their relationship to be in the open...but he could've tried harder too. Something always held him back though, as if - in the end - he wanted their relationship to fail. The reason for that train of thought always eluded him though. Or, more honestly, he tried his hardest not to think about it.

Despite his promise to Sam to keep their relationship a secret he hadn't been able to help telling one person. Danny. It struck him as odd if he thought about it too long – and so he usually didn't – but Danny was probably the most important person in his life. Danny who'd sneered at him when he'd first joined the team. Danny who'd made all of his assumptions about Martin from the first moment he saw him. But then things had changed. Danny had become the first real friend he'd had in a very long time. Danny made him laugh, and annoyed him, and had earned his admiration. And so early on in Martin and Sam's relationship, Martin had been unable to keep it from Danny. They'd gone out for dinner after work one evening and Martin had practically been bursting with the need to tell him. Again the thought had flitted through his mind that he needed to tell Danny so badly because Danny was so important to him…because he wanted to share _everything_ with Danny. But he'd carefully pushed those thoughts to the back of his mind, leaving them closed off and unexamined.

And so it had gone on. He'd continued to talk with Danny about his and Sam's relationship. Their dates, when they fought, his insecurities and most recently the pain he'd felt upon deciding to break up with her. Sometimes he got the feeling that Danny didn't want to hear any of it, that Danny could barely stand hearing about Martin and Sam. It was a certain look in his dark eyes or a small twitch of his lips. It always sent a strange sort of pain through Martin's heart, but then it was always gone as quickly as it had come. Danny would smile at him and say just the right thing and those thoughts would disappear.

Now though…as he sat alone in the airport waiting for a flight he didn't particularly want to catch, he wished that Danny were with him. The thought left him more than a little shaky and he stood up, made sure to grab his carry-on luggage bag and decided to take a short walk through the terminal. Sitting in the same place for so long had left him restless. It was probably also the cause of his thoughts. Thoughts he couldn't seem to push away as easily as he usually did. Thoughts that he was afraid of.

This afternoon, before he'd left for the airport, he'd told Danny about him and Sam breaking up. It had been a hard conversation to get through, but Danny had been supportive and compassionate…understanding. It had also been a relief to tell him. It was as if he'd wanted to be able to tell Danny this for a while…as if it were important that Danny know he'd broken up with Sam.

Why these thoughts of Danny continued to plague him, especially now, he wasn't sure. And that was just it, wasn't it? When it came to Danny he was never sure. Wasn't sure where exactly Danny fit into his life, where he _wanted_ Danny to fit into his life…and where he stood in Danny's life.

Frustrated, he shut his eyes and pressed his fingers to his forehead, trying to ward off the headache he could feel starting. He turned around after a few minutes, figuring he might as well get a drink or something to eat while he waited for more information on his flight. But halfway down the terminal he stopped and stared straight ahead, wondering if his previous thoughts had somehow suddenly materialized.

Danny was walking towards him, luggage in tow and a smirk on his face.

"Hello Martin," he said, eyes sparkling.

Martin wasn't fooled though. He knew Danny well…better than most – something he was strangely proud of. And he detected a hint of nervousness in his voice, in those dark eyes that outwardly seemed so carefree. Only because Martin knew where to look.

"Danny…what are you doing here?"

Danny said nothing for a few moments, swallowing nervously and then shaking his head. He motioned Martin back in the direction he'd just walked away from and Martin followed willingly, waiting for an answer.

"So Fitz…I see your flight's delayed," he said. They sat down near the window overlooking the runway, far enough away from the gate to be relatively alone but still able to hear any announcements that were made.

Martin nodded. "Has been for a while now. Danny, you didn't answer my question," he went on. "What are you doing here? Are you flying somewhere?"

Danny shut his eyes and sighed, standing up abruptly and looking more intently out the window. Martin said nothing, only watched him and waited. He wondered why Danny seemed to be avoiding his question, but mostly he was honestly wondering why Danny was here. He wasn't only curious but also hopeful…for what he wasn't positive. As usual, Danny stirred up all sorts of questions and feelings that Martin didn't understand.

"Danny?" he asked again when he received no answer after a few minutes.

Danny turned around and sat down again, facing Martin, eyes wide and uncertain. Martin couldn't recall ever seeing him look so uneasy. Under any other circumstances he would've laughed, but instead he waited.

"I bought a ticket to Denver Martin," he said quietly. "When I got to the airport I didn't expect your flight to still be here. I was…I was going to take the next one."

Martin floundered for a moment, unsure what to say or what exactly Danny meant. "You…you're coming with me?" he asked, voice trembling slightly.

"Unless you don't want me to," Danny answered.

They were both quiet for a few moments, blue eyes locked on brown. Martin confused, nervous and strangely elated; Danny's eyes reflecting that same nervousness as well as a careful sort of hope.

"I…Martin, I had to take a chance on this now. I've been quiet for so long, and I just…" he trailed off, looking strangely helpless. He moved slightly closer to Martin, hesitated for a moment and then took Martin's hand in his own.

Martin swallowed hard, his breath coming quicker than it had before. He trembled as Danny's fingers slid gently over the back of his hand. It was suddenly very clear…all of those feelings and unresolved thoughts. Everything seemed to fall into place, and he knew what it was he felt for Danny. It was a relief of sorts to have finally figured it out. It was also terrifying.

He met Danny's eyes again, his own shining bright with a tentative sort of excitement. When he squeezed Danny's hand, he watched as those dark eyes changed from anxious to relieved, and then changed again to something much softer. Blushing, Martin lowered his gaze, lips turning up in a reluctant but happy grin.

"So you want me to come with you?" Danny asked softly.

He tipped Martin's chin up with his fingers and Martin shivered again. He met Danny's eyes bravely and nodded. "Yes Danny."

Danny took a deep breath and smiled, the expression going straight to Martin's heart and making his chest ache in a wonderful sort of way. He smiled back, still blushing, and leaned in towards Danny a little bit.

Their moment was interrupted by the announcement that their flight was going to start boarding. The weather was clearing and they'd be able to take off in less than an hour. Reluctantly, Martin released Danny's hand and stood up. He was suddenly very anxious to get to Denver…to get this flight over with.

"I'll see you when we land," Danny said. His seat was further towards the back of the plane and they were starting to board.

"Danny wait," Martin said quickly, reaching out and grasping the other man's wrist. "When we land we need to…talk."

Danny smiled and once again squeezed Martin's hand. "I know."

They took a cab from the airport to the hotel. The wedding wasn't until the next day, but it was late. They lingered for a few moments in the hotel lobby, and Danny took Martin's arm, holding him back from checking in yet.

"Your reservation Martin. You RSVP-ed for yourself and a guest," he said, sounding uncertain. "You know what kind of room that'll give you. You don't…I can get my own room if you want," he said, his voice rushed.

Martin was tempted to agree, but he pushed past those insecurities and shook his head. "No, it's all right Danny," he responded, voice low and hushed. He knew he was blushing, and God knew he was more than a little scared about what all of this meant, but he wanted to take a chance. He wanted to trust what he felt rather than listen to the sensible voice inside of his head. He'd _always_ made a point of listening to that voice, but this time he wanted to ignore it. And so he met Danny's eyes bravely for a few moments, hoping to show him what he was feeling.

But by the time Martin had checked them in and they had made it upstairs to their room he was practically trembling in apprehension. He tried his best to hide it, but his hands shook as he pushed the keycard into the door and after two failed tries, Danny gently took the card from his hands. He stepped closer and Martin tried to take a deep breath.

"It's okay Fitz," he said softly, one hand gently touching Martin's back.

Martin swallowed thickly and stepped into the room after Danny, closing the door behind them. He set down his suitcase and Danny turned on a few lights. Martin watched him for a few moments, eyes darting around the room, lingering on the lone bed.

Danny cleared his throat and turned on the television, flipping through the channels randomly. Martin was grateful for the noise, the distraction, but he needed a few moments alone. It was hard to breathe with Danny so close to him…and with the prospect of what lie ahead.

"I'm going to take a shower," he said. He unzipped his suitcase with unsteady hands, gathering a change of clothes and a few things for the shower. He shook even more when Danny's hands closed around his wrists. Gently, he pulled Martin up to face him.

"Martin…we don't have to do this," he said softly. "Share a room, I mean."

Martin shook his head, eyes cast downward still. "No Danny, it's okay…I just…"

Danny pressed his fingers beneath Martin's chin, pushing upwards gently so that he could look into his eyes. Smiling softly, he pressed his hand to Martin's cheek, his other hand sliding slowly up Martin's arm. "You're shaking," he murmured.

"I'm all right," Martin insisted, stubborn even through his fear.

Danny shook his head, fingers softly caressing Martin's cheek. Before Martin said anything else Danny wrapped his arms around him and hugged him tightly. Martin let out a shaky breath and shut his eyes, falling thankfully into Danny's embrace. Carefully he wrapped his arms around Danny's back and returned the hug.

Danny held him close, one hand slipping upwards, fingers running through Martin's hair, causing him to shiver again. But it was almost instant how much better he felt, more sure and confident in what was happening. Being in Danny's arms felt entirely too right; he wondered why he hadn't figured things out sooner. He took a deep breath and pulled back a little, careful to stay in Danny's embrace. Shyly, he smiled and looked up into Danny's dark eyes.

"Better?" Danny asked softly, smiling.

Martin nodded. "Yes, I was just…this is all so fast Danny," he admitted.

Danny smile grew and he nodded in return. "I know. Believe me Martin, I didn't quite expect this either. I certainly didn't expect you to be so agreeable," he said, smile turning into a sweet smirk.

Martin raised an eyebrow and tried his best to look annoyed. "Oh really?"

Danny laughed, leaning forward slightly until their foreheads were almost touching. "Yes really. I expected to have to…persuade you more," he answered, voice lower now.

Martin's smile faded slowly and he swallowed hard, nervous again, but in an entirely different way than before. "Persuade me?" he asked, his voice sounding much too adolescent to his own ears.

"Mmm-hmm," Danny murmured. His hand was at the back of Martin's neck now, fingers moving slowly through his hair, tickling slightly, making Martin shiver and bite down on his lower lip. "Persuade you that we'd be so good together, that we've been fooling each other for so long now…trying to be only friends…"

His words made Martin feel warm all over. "There was always something that I felt for you, but I…I couldn't figure it out. And I never expected, never thought that…" he trailed off, unsure how to tell Danny what was so hard for him to express even inwardly. But Danny seemed to understand anyway; Martin saw that in his eyes.

Danny pulled him closer and Martin took another deep breath. His eyes fluttered shut and he sighed when Danny's lips touched his. Whimpering softly, he melted into Danny's kiss. He couldn't quite believe this was happening…and how good it felt. Danny's soft lips on his, Danny's arms around him…it felt so _right_. Of all the mixed up and jumbled feelings he had for Danny he'd never really let himself fantasize about him physically. Still there had been moments when they'd been close, small touches here and there…and they'd always left Martin with a strange sense of excitement. Left him more confused than normal because he couldn't quite understand the desire to be closer, to remain connected physically to Danny in some way. But now he had him, and it all just clicked into place.

Danny whispered Martin's name against his lips, and Martin could feel him smile. Martin pulled him closer and pressed their mouths together again. Gently, Danny urged Martin's lips to part. Martin moaned softly as their tongues touched. He felt dizzy as Danny made things deeper, held him more tightly. The kiss left him breathless and shivering and warm.

Danny smiled as they broke apart, pressing his forehead to Martin's and sighing softly. "I've wanted to kiss you for so long Fitz," he murmured, his breath warm against Martin's face.

Martin said nothing in return, but he knew Danny didn't really expect him to. He smiled, loving the things he heard in Danny's voice. The warmth, the desire…the _feeling_. They stayed still for a while, holding one another and just reveling in the feel of what they'd finally begun.

Eventually Danny released him, pressing a kiss to his forehead and smiling. "Go take your shower," he said, the sound of happiness so obvious in his voice that it made Martin smile even more. "I'll get us some food."

Martin nodded. "Get something _good_," he called after Danny as he walked out of the room. He smiled to himself again as he heard Danny's laughter. He shut his eyes for a few moments and leaned back against the nearest wall, sighing to himself. A part of him felt silly, foolish, but mostly he didn't care. He was _happy_. And despite feeling infinitely less nervous now, he still needed these few moments alone. And Danny had understood that, had given him an out by leaving the room for a few minutes.

As he stood under the warm spray of the shower he let his mind drift. He thought about Danny, about what they were doing, about the kiss they had just shared. He let himself think about Danny in a way he never had allowed himself before. He's always pushed any lingering thoughts about Danny to the back of his mind, needed to keep them tucked safely away. Because they were thoughts that he hadn't understood, and they had scared him. Now though…now that all of those thoughts had fallen into place and become clearer…he wanted to cherish them.

He was still scared. Scared of what lay ahead for the night and the next day. And more than that, the future. _Their_ future. But for the first time, he was also confident that he was making the right choice.

When he came out of the bathroom, he found Danny on the bed, his legs stretched out in front of him, crossed at the ankles. He was eating a slice of pizza and flipping through television channels with the remote. Martin felt his heart flutter nervously, but he took a deep breath and sat down on the bed. He could feel Danny's eyes on him as he reached for a piece of pizza. Bravely, he settled onto the bed like Danny – back up against the pillows and the headboard, legs out in front of him.

It wasn't easy to ignore their close proximity and the fact that they were in bed together, but they both did their best to try and keep things normal. Eating pizza, half-watching TV and half-talking. But it was soon well past midnight and they were both yawning, tired from the flight and the emotional upheaval of the day.

"Martin." Gently, Danny wrapped his hand around Martin's wrist and called his name.

Martin opened his eyes, which had been falling shut despite his best efforts and looked at Danny. He noticed that the TV was off now and that all of the lights in the room were off except for the one on Danny's nightstand. He shivered as Danny touched his cheek. The nervousness returned with a vengeance as he met Danny's eyes.

"Martin," Danny repeated, his eyes softening. "You know we don't have to…do anything," he murmured. Martin nodded and swallowed hard. "Do you really think that I'm not nervous about this too?" he asked after a few moments. He smiled warmly and Martin finally found the courage to smile back. Feeling better he let out a breath and looked down, blushing slightly. He squeezed Danny's hand tightly and took another deep breath. "Come on Martin. I know you're tired and I'm exhausted," he said.

Martin nodded, moving so that they could pull down the blankets and crawl beneath them. He laid carefully on his side, facing Danny, his heart fluttering nervously in his chest. Danny turned off the light and the room fell into darkness. It took a few minutes for his eyes to adjust to the dark; there was just enough light peeking in from behind the curtains – probably the lights on in the parking lot – for him to make out Danny. Martin yawned and moved slightly closer to him. Danny reached out and once again threaded their fingers together. Martin sighed and shut his eyes, drawn quickly into sleep by his exhaustion and the warm, comforting presence of Danny lying next to him.

As they were getting ready for the wedding, Martin felt his nerves return with a vengeance.

Waking up next to Danny had felt surprisingly normal and wonderfully right. They'd stayed there for a while, lying close and talking. It was so easy to be comfortable with Danny. They'd known each other for so long already that, in a way, they'd already gone through that awkward first stage of getting to know one another. For the most part, they knew each other's quirks and mannerisms. It was just taking that knowledge and looking at it in a new light, now that they'd taken the next step and were more than friends.

But despite the happiness he was feeling, and the confidence in his and Danny's relationship, he was starting to panic a little. He wanted to take Danny to his cousin's wedding…as his date; he wanted to introduce him that way. But at the same time, he was terrified. He'd never been with another man. It would be a shock, to say the least. Hell, it was still a shock to him! And had it just been his cousin and some other choice relatives it wouldn't have been such a big deal. But Martin knew his parents would be there.

Danny turned away from the mirror, finished tying his tie and crossed his arms over his chest. "Fitz…you're looking a little pale," he said, smirking.

Martin was perched on the edge of the bed. He looked up at Danny, swallowing nervously, and nodded. Temporarily distracted for a moment, he let his eyes roam freely over Danny. He drew in a shaky breath and smiled, blushing a little because Danny looked so good standing there, dressed up to the nines in a tux, his hair spiked up, his skin practically glowing.

He blushed harder and Danny, _being Danny_, noticed. He laughed and pulled Martin to his feet and into his arms. "You know Fitzie…you look really good in a tux," he murmured, lips brushing Martin's ear. His fingers pressed gently against the back of Martin's neck and he pressed his lips to Martin's throat. "You smell good too," he murmured, warm breath tickling Martin's skin.

Martin sighed and shivered, feeling more than a little liquid under Danny's touch. He was embarrassed to say that his knees felt weak, and he laughed a little as he wrapped his arms around Danny's waist. "You look good too Danny," he said, pressing a soft kiss to Danny's neck. Danny shivered slightly and hugged Martin more tightly. Martin could _feel_ Danny smile and it made him happy.

"You're nervous, aren't you?" Danny said softly, words murmured against Martin's ear. He continued to hold him close, offering comfort and strength with his embrace.

"Yeah…a little," he answered. "Ok, a lot," he admitted after a few moments. "This is what I want to do Danny," he said, pulling back slightly so he could look into Danny's eyes. "I'm just…"

Danny smiled and kissed him softly. "I know. And just so you know…I'm nervous too."

"Yet you're smiling," Martin remarked brightly.

Danny laughed. "It's all about pretending Fitz."

Martin smiled back, his eyes crinkling at the corners. He pulled Danny closer and kissed him, sighing softly at how easy it was now. Easy to pull Danny close, easy to kiss him and let himself get lost, if only for a little bit, in the other man's touch. Encouraged now, he pulled away after a few moments and smiled bravely into Danny's eyes.

"Ready?"

Danny nodded and smiled. "Let's go."

The wedding was beautiful. It was at a small church a few blocks away from the hotel, and while Martin was well aware of the looks and the whispers he and Danny were garnering, no one actually confronted him. Not that he was very surprised by that…after all, his family had always been about appearances and no one was going to cause a scene at a wedding. He and Danny sat towards the back, well away from Martin's parents – whom had only given him a brief glance full of shock and embarrassment before turning around. He'd gotten a few smiles – wary, to be sure – from some other relatives, mainly his cousins, but otherwise no one much paid them any attention. He was relieved, mainly because he wanted to keep the attention away from himself. It was his cousin's wedding day after all, and everyone should be focused on her.

However, he couldn't help blushing slightly, unable to stop smiling whenever Danny took his hand. Glanced at Martin out of the corner of his eye and smiled secretly, linking their fingers together and squeezing gently. Martin felt a wave of happiness flow over him from head to toe and he nearly laughed. He turned slightly and caught Danny's eye again, saw the way his dark eyes were sparkling and noted that he couldn't seem to stop smiling either. It must be contagious.

The reception left them both more open to observation. The half-hidden glances and whispered words became more blatant then. But, to Martin's surprise, none of it was very cruel-minded. His parents were distantly polite, and he got more than a few chilly looks from both of them, but it wasn't as bad as he had imagined. Although, he was pretty sure that he'd be getting _interesting_ phone calls from both of them after he got back to New York.

Danny took it all in stride, though Martin was able to detect a hint of nerves beneath his suave exterior. But he charmed almost everyone he talked to – not something that surprised Martin in the least. He smiled easily, said all the right things, and just fit in almost flawlessly.

"You're making this look too easy you know," he said, sitting back in his chair and crossing his arms over his chest. He tried his best to look frustrated but he was unable to keep from smiling. The rest of the guests sharing their table had gotten up already and were now dancing or mingling.

Danny looked over at him innocently. "I don't know what you're talking about," he said, holding his hands up in defense.

Martin laughed and leaned forward, his elbows on the table, his hands under his chin. "Sure you don't." He paused for a moment, watching Danny as he looked around the room. When Danny met his eyes again he blushed, smiling as he met Martin's eyes.

They stayed at their table for a while observing things from a distance, watching the bride dance with her father, the bride and groom cut the cake, the bride throw her bouquet and the groom throw the bride's garter. Martin pointed out relatives and Danny listened attentively to his observations and stories. They sat in silence too, leaning close and watching people dance and laugh. It was carefree in a way that Martin's family rarely acted, but he did have a few good memories and this was one that he would add to them when he thought of his family.

He thought of Samantha for a few minutes. Originally, he had pictured being here with her. It would've been so easy and everyone would've liked her, he was sure. They would've been dancing, having a few drinks, chatting with his family…and he wouldn't have been nearly as happy as he was right now.

"Martin?"

Martin shook his head and smiled, looking over at Danny. "I'm sorry…did you say something?" he asked sheepishly.

Danny smiled softly. "I just asked what you were thinking of; you looked so far away."

Martin took a sip of water and smiled lightly. "I was thinking of…Sam," he admitted, not wanting to lie. He watched as Danny tensed up – exactly the response he had expected. Quickly, he reached out and took Danny's hand in his own, squeezing it firmly. "I was thinking that I wouldn't be nearly as happy with her here as I am with you," he said warmly.

"Really?" Danny asked softly, a note of uncertainty in his voice that Martin hadn't expected. His dark eyes were full of a pleading sort of hope.

Pushing away his fears, Martin nodded and leaned closer, pressing a quick kiss to Danny's lips and smiling. "Really."

Danny watched him for a few moments, an astonished look on his face, before he returned Martin's smile. Gripping his hand, Danny stood up and pulled Martin with him.

"What are you doing?"

"Asking you to dance," Danny replied simply.

Martin raised his eyebrows and took a slight step backwards. "Dance?" he asked nervously, noting the mischievous look of determination in his eyes. "Danny, I don't know if…"

Danny shook his head and pulled Martin away from their table. Martin followed reluctantly, letting out a small breath of relief as Danny bypassed the dance floor and walked further away towards the windows at the end of the ballroom. It was darker there, somewhat secluded and not so hectic.

Before Martin could protest Danny took his hand and wrapped his other arm around Martin's waist, pulling them together. "Danny…"

"Relax," Danny said calmly, a soft smile on his lips.

Martin took a deep breath and nodded, gripping Danny's arm and giving him a weak smile. He'd been brave today…showing up with Danny as his date, introducing him, holding his hand, even the quick kiss he'd just given him. But dancing was somehow more. He swallowed nervously and tried to calm down. Looking up slightly, he met Danny's eyes and suddenly found it hard to look away. The lights were dim and there was a light snow falling outside now. The song was something clichéd and almost cheesy, but the song didn't matter. Being here with Danny mattered…in Danny's arms, dancing with him. He smiled, knowing he was blushing, and pulled Danny a little closer.

"Danny?"

"Hmm?"

Gently, Martin touched his cheek and met his eyes again. Without another word he kissed him warmly, sighing softly and relaxing fully into the other man's embrace. He didn't care who saw them, didn't care about anything except making the most of this moment. It may have been predictable and passé, but it was still romantic. And romance was something that had always been considerably lacking in his life.

"Thank you for coming with me," he murmured against Danny's lips. "And for…taking this chance, and for not giving up."

Danny smiled softly and Martin felt him tremble. "You're welcome Fitz," he said, voice thick and hoarse. He swallowed hard and leaned forward, pressing his forehead to Martin's. They stayed that way for a while, swaying slightly, just holding one another in silence. It was more than Martin had ever felt, more than he'd expected to feel, and he kissed Danny again warmly, wanting to show his gratitude, his exhilaration and everything else he was feeling.

What had started out as an awful weekend that he'd wanted to avoid had turned into the unexpected. A chance at real happiness and a relationship he'd wanted for a very long time. And they had a lot more to overcome and to discover, but Martin was looking forward to it all…and he couldn't wait.


End file.
